Rubrics vs. self-assessment scripts: effects on first year university students’ self-regulation and performance / Rúbricas y guiones de autoevaluación: efectos sobre la autorregulación y el rendimiento de estudiantes universitarios de primer año

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of rubrics and self-assessment scripts on self-regulation, learning, self-efficacy and goal activation. A total of 85 university students enrolled in a psychology course on Motivation and Emotion participated in the study. During a semester, they summarized texts and designed conceptual maps of each topic unit with the help of rubrics or scripts. Self-regulation, self-efficacy and goal activation were measured through questionnaires, and learning through the conceptual maps and summaries. Results showed that the use of rubrics increased learning but decreased the students’ learning self-regulation more than the use of scripts. No significant differences were found for self-efficacy and students preferred using rubrics, reporting they focus more on learning when using these. Results are partially in line with previous research. Theoretical and educational implications are discussed.